Mini John Cooper Works GP: the fastest Mini ever

The new Mini John Cooper Works GP has been released and it’s Mini’s fastest production car ever.

The Mini JCW GP is the successor to the 2006 Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit. The new model has recorded a time of 8min23sec around the famed Nurburgring Nordschleife – almost 19 seconds faster than the original GP special.

Limited to just 2000 cars and designed with performance for both track and road in mind, the sportiest road-registered Mini employs exclusive motorsport-inspired powertrain, chassis and aerodynamic technologies.

The twin-scroll turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine is supported by specially developed adjustable race suspension, large front and rear aprons, side skirts, bespoke roof spoiler and a newly developed rear diffuser that optimises underbody airflow.

To make its motorsport intentions clear the Mini JCW GP has had the rear seats removed (as per the original GP) while two race seats and a race-spec braking system have been added. Mini also says the new GP has a specific output of 100kW per litre – not far behind the Nissan GT-R and Mitsubishi Evolution X – which would see the GP reach 160kW of power, 5kW more than the standard John Cooper Works hatch.

Red highlights feature on the brake vents, bonnet intake and wing mirrors while unique GP graphics on the bonnet and down the doors let people know this isn’t just your average city car.

BMW Australia has put its hand up for the JCW GP, and is hopeful of securing around 20 cars for our market, which would represent one per cent of the total global production run. The Mini JCW GP should reach Australian showrooms in 2013 and will come with a price premium over the current $50,400 John Cooper Works hatch.